Buzzer apparatus for producing whistle-simulating sounds



W. C. ROE. BUZZERAPPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WHISTLE SIMULATING SOUNDS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2B. I917.

1,303,1 1 7. Patented May 6, 1919.

yam.

01E mmms PEYERS ca. FHoro-Lnwo wAsmuu mu. 0. c.

WILLIAM C. ROE. OF WHEELING, VIRGINIA..

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

nuzznn APPARATUS non rnonucmc wrirs'rtn-siivionnrmc sounns.

Patented May o, 1919.

Application filed. September28, 1917. Serial No. 183,701.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vWILLIAM vC. Ron, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buzzer Apparatus for Producing Whistle- Simulating Sounds, of which the following is a specification. I i

This invention relates broadly to toy railways, and more particularly to apparatus associated with such a railway for producing whistle-simulating sounds.

The primary object of the invention is to provide, in association with a' toy railway and a train, or locomotive for traveling thereon, an electrically operated deviceor mechanism whereby a shrill sound approximating the blast of a whistle sound is emitted when such train or locomotive travels over a point or points in the track.

In describing theinvention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure l is a plan view of a portion of railway track and a locomotive equipped with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, a portion of one track rail being shown broken away to illustrate the electrical contact located in the trackway; and- Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the invention.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several views land 2 indicate the opposite track rails of a railway mounted upon metallic crossties 3 and 3 and insulated from each other as will hereinafter be described. Mounted to travel upon said track rails is a train or locomotive, as 4:, which carries thereon a high frequency electric buzzer consisting of a metallic core member 5, a diaphragm 19 carried by the frame members 5 of said core member in operative relation to the end of a core proper 5", and a screw contact 6 mounted to cooperate with said diaphragm, said contact being adjustably carried by a suitable supporting arm or bracket, as 7, mounted upon said core member 5, suitable insulation, as 8, being provided between said contact 6 and its support @1- e'oii a waited upon the care prayer 5* has one end grounded upon'the core 5, as shown at 9*. Leading from the opposite end of said coil to a brush 10 carried by the locomotive 1 is a" conductor 11, said brush being located in a position to make wiping contact with, a metallic contact member or strip 12 located between the track rails 1 and 2 of the railway at an appropriate point.

A conductor 13 leads from the adjustable screw contact 6 to a wheel 14 of the locomotive traveling upon the track rail '1.

A source ofcurrent, as a battery 15, has one side connected byaconductor 16 to one of the crossties 3, which latter are insulated only from track rail 2, as shown at 17. The opposite side of the current source is connected by a conductor 18 to a crosstie 3 which is insulated only from track rail 1, as shown at 24. The contact strip 12 is dis posed longitudinally of the railway and is mounted with one end supported upon and insulated from a crosstie 3 and its opposite end seatedupon and uninsulated from the crosstie 3 current being permitted to pass to said strip from the last-mentioned crosstie. The said contact member or strip con sists of a horizontally disposed strip of metal having its opposite ends 12 downturned to seat upon the crossties 3 and 3 as aforesaid, thereby to support its body portion in an elevated position adapted to e engaged by'the brush 10 carried by the locomotive. Said body portion may be continuously horizontal throughout, as when it is desired that a long uninterrupted sound resembling that of a whistle be emitted as the locomotive passes thereover. However, it ispreferred that the continuity of the surface of said strip which will be contacted by said brush be interrupted by one or more offset portions 12 formed by depressing the body of the strip at intervals to a level below that at which said brush is carried, thereby to provide a plurality of separated contact-surfaces 12 which may be made of any desired length or lengths. Asv depicted in the drawings, two long and two relatively short contact surfaces 12 are provided, the same being separated by oifset portions 12 of varying lengths, the urpose being to cause tWo long and two re atively short whistlesimulating sounds to be emitted by the buzzer as the locomotive passes over said saidsounds being;

vals of varying lengths. That end of the strip 12 which rests upon the crosstie 3 is insulated from the latter, as shown at 23.

In practice, when the brush 10 carried by the locomotive engages a contact surface 12 an electric circuit through the buzzer is completed, said circuit consisting of the source of current or battery 15, conductor 16, crosstie 3, track rail 1, locomotive Wheel 14, conductor 13, screw contact 6, diaphragm 19, core member 5, coil 9, conductor 11, brush 10, contact strip 12. crosstie 3 and conductor 18. The closing of the circuit actuates the diaphragm 19 to vibrate against the screw contact 6 which is adjusted to a position for. producing a vibration of high frequency, thus causing to be emitted a shrill buzzing sound approximating the blast of a whistle.

The wheel 20 of the locomotive opposite the wheel 14 is insulated from its axle 21, as indicated at 22, to prevent the formation of a short circuit.

As i apparent, the polarity may be reversed by reversing the positions of the conductors 16 and 18 leading from the current source.

It will be noted that the arrangement of the wiring connections and the insulation herein shown and described is merely illustrative of a preferred arrangement, it being obvious that other methods of wiring and insulation might be readily employed for accomplishing the result herein aimed at.

What is claimed is l. A toy railway device for producing audible whistle-simulating sounds, comprising, in combination with a railway and a locomotive traveling thereon, a contact strip located in the line of said railway, a source ofelectric current connected to said strip, a high frequency buzzer carried by the locomotive and including a metal core, a coil carried by said core, a diaphragm, and an adjustable point contact cooperating with said diaphragm, a brush carried by the locomotive forinaking wiping contact with said contact strip said brush having connection with said coil, and current-conducting means between said point contact and said current source.

2. In a toy railway, apparatus for producing an audible whistle-simulating sound,

comprising, in combination with a vehicle nected to said strip, and means including a rail of said railwayand a wheel oi said vehicle between said current.sourceand said buzzer for completing a buzzer-actuating electric circuit.

3. In atoy railway,-apparatus for producing an audible whistle-simulating sound, comprising, in combination with a vehicle for traveling along such railway, a high frequency buzzer carried by the vehicle, a brush earned by said vehicle and connected with said buzzer, a metallic contact strip located along the line of said railway and adapted to be contacted by said brush, said strip having its continuity interrupted by one or more. offset portions whereby is produced a plurality of horizontally alined separate contact surfaces, a current source connected to said strip, and means including a rail of said railway anda wheel of said vehicle between said current source and said buzzer for completing a buzzer-actuating electric circuit. a

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM C. ROE. Witnesses:

H. E. DUNIiAI, W. F. Knnrnn.

Copies tot-this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

